Hatching eggs

[Rebjilek]

I need some help or advice. I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong. I'm on my second attempt on hatching eggs and they seem to be fine till the end. Right now I have fourteen eggs in the incubator and it's day 22, and no signs of hatching. Last time I had two eggs make it to the last three days but they didn't hatch. I openednthe shells when it was obvious I had waited long enough, and there were two fully grown chickens. What am I doing wrong?

 

[rebelcowboysnb]

Humidity is almost always the issue when they grow all the way but don't hatch. Are you measuring humidity? What kind of incubator?

When you opened the last one was the membrane wet or was it dry a rubbery?

 

[a(TM)?HoneyBeea(TM)?]

Hi, and welcome to BYC

Hows the humidity in the incubator? Having chicks die right at the end leads me to think

somthings up with the humidity.

 

[Rebjilek]

I have a little giant. Im not measuring humidity but I've put water in the bottom of the incubator. Also I've been reading about "lockdown". What exactly does that mean?

 

[Rebjilek]

Also last time one of the chicks was in fluid. The other one not quite so much. Is there a book I can read about how to hatch chicks or is it trial and error until I get a successful hatch?

Thank you for the welcoming to byc!

 

[Gypsy07]

Since you're using a styrofoam bator, have a look for a BYC member called ChooksChick - she's written an incubating cheat sheet for them. Someone will probably post you the link to it, I don't know exactly where it is, sorry. Sounds like your humidity was too high (as it often is in styro bators) so next time don't add any water till the last three days.

 

[Rebjilek]

Thanks for the advice. I would also like the "cheat sheet" if someone will post a link to it. Well anyhow I'll wait a few more days on these eggs before I give up hope on them hatching. I'm going to keep trying till I have a successful hatch.

Also just to make sure I understand correctly, since I'm using a still air incubator, I should keep the temperature at 102?

 

[rebelcowboysnb]

You need somewhere around 101 or 102 measured at the top of the egg for still air incubators. 101 has been quoted for many years an 102 has been quoted alot the last few years now.

 

[Rebjilek]

This might seem silly that I don't know this, but when everyone is talking lockdown, during the last three days, is that mean not to open the incubator. I think before I started this last hatch I got some bad advice about this. What is the best thing to do to ensure a sucessful hatch?

 

[rebelcowboysnb]

It means humidity up an dont open the incubator.